BBC Food - Halloween food: Cooking with blood Halloween food: Cooking with blood By Michelle Warwicker BBC Food Many people eat black pudding, but not a lot else that is made from blood Butcher's £1m taste buds insured Black pudding is the only food in traditional British cuisine to be made with pure animal blood. Is Halloween a time to embrace other ghoulish blood-based dishes? Ever tasted ox-blood soup? How about starting the day with blood porridge or a blood pancake? Does chocolate and blood pudding appeal as dessert perhaps? These sinister-sounding dishes are reminiscent of childhood horror stories. Impress with scallops and black pudding Black pudding is increasing in popularity in the UK, but that's almost as far as it goes in terms of blood-enriched foods. Animal blood is actually eaten by many cultures around the world, but could the British diet benefit from a bit more blood? "In northern Europe they have breads where they use blood. They make blood pancakes; they use blood in lots of different things," says Jennifer McLagan, the Canada-based Australian author of Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal.

For many, the thought of eating blood is inseparable from Eastern European myths of blood-sucking vampires feasting on animals and humans alike. But for those who are brave enough to try it, blood brings a surprising "richness and a creaminess to the dish", says Ms McLagan. Continue reading the main story A taste for blood: The Maasai people of East Africa drink fresh blood extracted from their cattle, which they mix with milk. They pierce the loose skin of a cow's neck and gather the blood in a vessel, before healing the wound. Blood soups are popular in many Asian countries: Vietnamese tiet canh is made with duck blood, and Haejangguk is a Korean soup made with ox blood, said to be a hangover cure. In France, coq au vin is traditionally thickened with the rooster's blood, and French civet of hare can be flavoured with wine and blood from the hare. Watch a BBC presenter drink cow's blood with the Suri people In Asia, blood from pig, ox and duck is used to make soups; it can be added in fresh liquid form or made into congealed jelly to add texture and flavour.

In Finland dried-blood pancakes are a popular dish and in France blood is used as a thickener in the same way people in the UK might use eggs. But Britons appear to be a little more squeamish. Some will happily tuck into a slice of black pudding at breakfast. Others however, recoil at the sausage's main ingredient which gives it its distinctive taste and soft texture - pig's blood. Black pudding is the only food in traditional British cuisine to be made with pure animal blood. Should the British be copying their European counterparts and eating more? Chef and author of the cookbook series Nose to Tail Eating Fergus Henderson believes it is "common sense" and "common decency" to eat the whole animal - blood, trotters and all - once it has been "knocked on the head". "It's good food and it's a shame not to eat it." Mr Henderson employs this philosophy at his restaurant St John in London, which has seen offal, boiled pig's head, pig's ears and blood dishes appear on its menu. One of his specialities is blood cake and fried eggs. "[Customers] love it. They can't wait," he says.

Jennifer McLagan agrees that blood is a good source of food that is too often wasted in the UK and North America. Fancy fresh pig's blood in a chocolate pudding? "If you're a thinking carnivore, you can't just be throwing away half the animal." "Almost every culture" has a type of "blood pudding", (such as black pudding), because historically people didn't want to want to waste any edible parts of a slaughtered animal. Some cultures do not eat blood because of religious reasons. But Ms McLagan believes that for cultures where eating blood is accepted, "it's a really good source of protein that seems to be wasted in a world where we're always complaining there's not enough to eat". In the UK today, iron deficiency among women is high, and increasingly common in young women in particular. So could eating more blood solve the problem? Pig's blood jelly is a popular addition to soup in Vietnam Blood provides a "certain amount of nutrients" such as protein and iron, but "there's lots more nutrition in other foods" than can be gained "by actually drinking blood," says Helen Bond, spokesperson at the British Dietetic Association. Black pudding is by far the easiest way to sample blood-based food in the UK.

An average (75g) portion of the dish would provide "almost over half the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for iron", says Ms Bond. But other ingredients in the pudding means that "quite a high portion of saturated fat" is present, which in high quantities can increase cholesterol levels in the body (one of the risk factors for heart disease and obesity). "You've just got to take [black pudding] in the context of a balanced diet," explains Ms Bond. "It certainly shouldn't be removed, but it's not something I'd encourage on a daily basis." Despite black pudding polarising the opinion of meat-eaters, industry experts are reporting a surge in interest from butchers, customers and restaurants. "Consumers are generally more adventurous these days," says Keith Fisher, master butcher and butchery development manager at British pork industry experts Bpex. He credits independent retailers "who pride themselves on their black pudding" with bringing the food into prominence in recent years. While still strongly associated with the traditional fry-up, black pudding is "not just for breakfast anymore," says Donny Morrison, manager of Stornoway black pudding producer Charles MacLeod, based on the Isle of Lewis off Scotland.

"It's getting used for dinners, and starters in particular." The exact method the company uses to make its black pudding is a trade secret, says Mr Morrison. But he does say it uses an old, traditional recipe with "dried blood from Holland, oatmeal, beef suet, onion and seasoning". Still squeamish? People in the UK were not always so. For centuries, inhabitants on the Isle of Lewis used to feed their families with a type of home-made black pudding or "marag dubh", made from sheep' s blood and intestines. The intestines of the animal would be removed and cleaned in the sea before being softened and then used as the pudding's skin. If you are hankering to add a bit more blood to your recipe repertoire, there is one thing to remember. Make sure you don't add too much at a time, or its richness could leave you feeling a little queasy, warns Jennifer McLagan. And that's if you can get hold of it in the first place. "It's not that easy [to find]," says Fergus Henderson. "The problem with butchers is there's not that many butchers left that you can go to.

"But it's there somewhere." Butchers are the recommended source for those looking for blood in its purer form. Not all sell it, but some will order it in especially for customers. But for those who may be too afraid or squeamish to try food made with blood, master butcher Keith Fisher has some advice: "Black pudding is available in small pieces, so try a little first." More on This Story Black Pudding - Blood Sausage Recipe - Food.com Cook 1 hr 30 mins Black pudding, as made in the UK, is a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, flavorings - and blood (usually from a pig). As long as animals have been slaughtered to provide food, blood sausages like black pudding have been in existence.

Other varieties of blood sausage include blodpølse in Norway and Denmark, boudin noir in France, tongeworst (with added pigs tongues) in the Netherlands, zwarte pens or beuling in Belgium, blóðmör in Iceland, boudin rouge in Creole and Cajun areas of the US, morcela and chouriço de sangue in Portugal, morcilla in Spain and Latin America, krvavica in Eastern Europe, sângerete in Romania, prieta in Chile, rellena or moronga in Mexico, doi in Vietnam, ragati in Nepal, mustamakkara in Finland, verivorst and verikäkk in Estonia and kaszanka in Poland. Seasonings and fillers vary from maker to maker and country to country, but black pepper, cayenne pepper, mace, herbs, and coriander are frequently used flavorings. These are added to the blood, oatmeal and suet/fat mixture, which is used to fill the casings. Posted from an online source in response to a recipe request. It isn't an easily made recipe due to lack of sources for absolutely and pristinely fresh ingredients.

Ingredients Directions Pre-heat oven to 160°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Assemble meat grinder and prepare the casings: Choose long pieces of the casings so that you have more control over the size of the links that you wish to make. Soak the casings in cool water about 5 minutes (more soaking will make the casings very tender and prone to bursting) about an hour in advance of stuffing to remove the salt on the outer surface. Rinse under cool running water. To remove excess salt from the inside, hold one end of a casing in place on a faucet nozzle and turn on cold tap water to fill the casing with liquid. If you spot any holes in the casing at this time, discard or cut the damaged bit off. Remove from faucet and squeeze out water; cover the rinsed and drained casings and refrigerate until ready to use. Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly, making sure that the seasonings are evenly distributed. Fill the casings and make links by twisting the sausage two or three turns at the points where you wish them to be (a 4-inch link is a good snack or lunch size, but smaller ones make good hors d'oeuvres).

Place into an ovenproof dish with a cover, standing in a larger dish half filled with water. Bake for 1½ hours. Allow to cool. BBC - Food - Black pudding recipes FAQs Black pudding recipes Black pudding is a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, flavourings - and blood (usually from a pig). As long as animals have been slaughtered to provide food, blood sausages like black pudding have been in existence. Recipes using black pudding See all recipes using black pudding Preparation Unsurprisingly, buying and cooking ready-prepared black puddings is much easier than making your own. Ready-made puddings are already cooked, so they just need a gentle re-heating (gentle is the key word, as they tend to crumble very easily). Slice them thickly and gently grill them, or heat them in the oven or lightly fry. Black pudding is a breakfast favourite, but it's a versatile ingredient for brunch, lunch and dinner, too. A wild mushroom sauce complements the crumbly texture and intensely rich taste of black pudding very well, as does a whisky, onion and cream sauce.

Grilled black pudding and cherry tomatoes served with potato scones is also a good combination, the richness of the pudding contrasting with the tang of tomatoes. On this page Black Pudding - Blood Sausage No Casings) Recipe - Food.com Cook 1 hr Black pudding, as made in the UK, is a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, flavorings - and blood (usually from a pig). As long as animals have been slaughtered to provide food, blood sausages like black pudding have been in existence.

Other varieties of blood sausage include blodpølse in Norway and Denmark, boudin noir in France, tongeworst (with added pigs tongues) in the Netherlands, zwarte pens or beuling in Belgium, blóðmör in Iceland, boudin rouge in Creole and Cajun areas of the US, morcela and chouriço de sangue in Portugal, morcilla in Spain and Latin America, krvavica in Eastern Europe, sângerete in Romania, prieta in Chile, rellena or moronga in Mexico, doi in Vietnam, ragati in Nepal, mustamakkara in Finland, verivorst and verikäkk in Estonia and kaszanka in Poland. Seasonings and fillers vary from maker to maker and country to country, but black pepper, cayenne pepper, mace, herbs, and coriander are frequently used flavorings. These are added to the blood, oatmeal and suet/fat mixture, which is used to fill the casings. Posted from an online source in response to a recipe request. It isn't an easily made recipe due to lack of sources for absolutely and pristinely fresh ingredients.

Ingredients 1 1⁄4 quarts pork blood (lamb or goose blood might also be used) 8 7⁄8 ounces bread, cut into cubes Keep Your Cool: 21 No-Cook Dishes Directions Place the bread cubes to soak in the milk in a warm oven, taking care not heat the milk beyond blood temperature. Have the blood ready in a large bowl, and pour the warm milk and bread into it. Stir in the cooked barley. Grate the beef suet into the mixture and stir it up with the oatmeal. Season with the salt, pepper and mint. Have ready 2 or three large roasting pans. Divide the mixture between them that they are not more than 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for about an hour or until the pudding is well cooked through. Keep in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, cut into squares and fry in bacon fat or butter until heated through and the outside is crisp.

Application to register the name 'Stornoway Black Pudding' as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) under the EU protected food name scheme Application to register the name 'Stornoway Black Pudding' as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) under the EU protected food name scheme Application to register the name 'Stornoway Black Part 2 Application to register the name 'Stornoway Black Pudding' as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) under the EU protected food name scheme COUNCIL REGULATION ( EC) No 510/2006 on protected geographical indications and protected designations of origin "Stornoway Black Pudding" This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1 Responsible department in the Member State EU Food Policy Team - Food and Policy Unit Area 6c Name: Stornoway Black Pudding Producers' Association Contact: Claire Macleod, Group Secretary Address: c/o Charles Macleod Limited Ropework Park Isle of Lewis HS1 2LB Tel: 01851 702445 or 07881 935685 Fax: 01851 704445 Class 1.2 Meat Products (cooked, salted, smoked) 4 Specification (summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation ( EC) No 510/2006) 4.1 Name: "Stornoway Black Pudding" 4.2 Description: Stornoway Black Puddings are a black pudding unique to Stornoway, the capital of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. They have a rich, deep reddish-brown to deep brown colour when raw, varying according to individual local recipes.

While, according to tradition and heritage, there is some individual variation in the recipes used, the percentages of ingredients used in a Stornoway Black Pudding must fall within the following ranges: Beef suet - minimum 37% to a maximum of 50% Oatmeal - minimum 16% to a maximum of 20% Onion - minimum 15% to a maximum of 18% Sheep or cow or pig's blood - minimum 12% to a maximum of 26% Water - where dried blood is used Salt - minimum 0.6% to a maximum of 2% Pepper - minimum 0.4% to a maximum of 2% The sausage mixture is fed into synthetic skins. The skins are made from cellulose which is an organic compound produced for industrial use. Synthetic casings are used for the production of Stornoway Black Pudding, due to large volumes required for commercial manufacture; however, natural casings may also be used in small scale production and subject to availability of animal intestines (sheep, cow, pig).

No other seasonings are permitted and Stornoway Black Puddings must be free from artificial colours, flavours, bulking agents and preservatives. In their original form, they are produced as '3 inch' or '4 inch' diameter (7.6 and 10.2 cm) cylindrical "sausage-shaped" puddings, varying in length from 18cm to 50cm and in weight from 0.5kg to 1.36kg, encased in skin. They may, however, be produced in other sizes and shapes to suit different customer requirements, e.g. a loop, or in slices. They are moist and firm in texture, with discernable, yet small, fat particulates. The Scottish oatmeal used in Stornoway Black Puddings is responsible for its good, rough texture. Stornoway Black Puddings may be cooked in, or out of the skin, they maintain their shape well throughout the cooking process. Once cooked, they appear almost black and break apart very easily when cut, yet do not significantly crumble.

The meaty flavour is moist, rich, full, savoury, well seasoned - but not spicy - with a non-greasy, pleasant mouth and clean after taste feel. They are sold in a variety of sizes and weights through a range of outlets, including butchers' shops, supermarkets, delicatessens, hotels and restaurants, both on the Isle of Lewis and the Outer Hebrides and across the UK . 4.3 Geographical area: The town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and the surrounding 'Stornoway Trust' area which includes the following parishes: New Tolsta Broker Portnaguran Newlands From the point named "Dun Othail" on the East coast of Lewis North of the town of Stornoway, situated North of Traigh Mhor "New Tolsta", thence in a Westerly direction to the summit of Beinn Mheadhonach and further South Westerly to Loch Mor Sandavat. Thence South Westerly crossing the A857 Stornoway - Barvas road to the North West foot of Ben Barvas, thence Westerly towards Loch nan Caorann.

Thence South West towards Loch na Gainmhich. Then in a Southerly direction crossing the unclassified Pentland Road (previously known as B8010) towards the hill Druim Uksavat to Beinn Nan Surrag. Then thence in an Easterly direction crossing the A858 to Loch Beag na Craoibhe at the A859 Stornoway to Tarbert Road. From thence following the Leiravay River "Allt na Craoibhe" crossing the B897 as far as Tob Leiravay on the Eastern coast. All lands bounded by the above described boundary including the Eye Peninsula. The Stornoway Trust is a Community Organisation that owns the town of Stornoway and a 28,000 hectare swathe of the Isle of Lewis. The Stornoway Trust was created in 1923 when the estate was gifted to the people by the owner of the land Lord Leverhulme. The Trust is administered by 10 democratically elected Trustees who are elected to serve a 6 year term. 4.4 Proof of origin: Each of the producers maintains full records of traceability.

As raw materials arrive on the premises, the producers record details of the supplier, along with the date, quantity and batch numbers. On the day of manufacture, the puddings are given batch numbers which record the date and are linked to the raw ingredient batch numbers. These are then logged. Producers sell product direct to customers "over the counter" and may also sell to wholesale customers, or via mail order. In the latter cases, customer orders are maintained in an order book and all invoices and delivery notes contain details of the customer, destination, product and quantity. Batch number and use by date are detailed on the invoice and delivery note and/or on the pudding casing itself. All producers will use the PGI logo at point of sale, and where producers have branded product and are using Stornoway Black Pudding on the casing and other packaging, the PGI logo will also be used. 4.5 Method of production: The following ingredients only, must be used in the manufacture of Stornoway Black Puddings: Beef suet, oatmeal, onion, blood, salt, pepper, water.

While, according to tradition and heritage, there is some individual variation in the recipes used, the percentages of ingredients used in a Stornoway Black Pudding must fall within the following ranges: Beef suet 37% to 50% Oatmeal 16% to 20% Sheep, Cow or Pigs Blood 12% to 26% Salt 0.6% to 2% Pepper 0.4% to 2% Many of the producers receive the beef suet in its raw form with all the unwanted connective tissue. The suet is prepared by scraping the suet from the connective tissue, cleaning it and then chopping/cutting into pieces of 15-20cm. The prepared suet is then cut into consistently sized fine pieces of approximately1-5 millimetres using a machine called a bowl cutter. This is a highly skilled process judged by eye and expertise of the butcher . Pig, cow or sheep blood is used in the fresh, chilled, or dried state, the blood from only one type of animal is used for each batch.

Blood is purchased from a meat wholesaler who source directly from the abattoirs where the blood is collected when the animal is killed. Where dried blood is used, water is added to rehydrate the blood; this method is used when large volumes of pudding are required as it is not possible to transport such volumes of liquid blood. The dry ingredients are mixed first, either by hand, or machine before water is added and mixed. All ingredients are very carefully weighed throughout the process, to ensure consistency of product, which is a thick porridge-like consistency, which can still be stirred but with some effort. Some of the recipes vary from to require fine chopped ingredients, others require a coarser chop, which gives rise to the slight variations in visual appearance and texture depending on the producers individual recipe. The mixture is then transferred to a sausage filler machine which feeds the mixture into the sausage casings. The sausages are filled by manually placing the sausage skin onto the machine nozzle. Regulating the flow of meat is also carried out manually. The sausage skins are synthetic skins which are made from cellulose which is an organic compound produced for industrial use .

Due to the volumes of manufacturing it is not possible to utilise the traditional animal intestines for casings so synthetic cases have been used for approximately for the last 40 years, for commercial manufacturing. Although natural casings (from sheep, cows or pigs) may also be used in small scale production, subject to availability. The ends are then either hand-tied with string, or clipped by machine. The puddings are then boiled or steamed for up to 2.5 hours at temperatures between 86 oc - 70 oc. Once cooked, each pudding is hung individually on a rack, to cool gradually to an ambient temperature of 12 oc, this can take between 2.5 - 4 hours. They are then placed in a chiller and stored at a temperature of 2 oc. Stornoway Black Puddings have a shelf-life of approximately one month. They are sold over the counter in the producers' own shops, in their skins, as full size puddings, three-quarter, half-size, in loops, or in slices. They are also packaged and shipped by post or courier, to individual and trade customers all over the UK .

4.6 Link: The origin of the Stornoway Black Pudding. Crofting, a form of tenant small holding unique in Scotland, has been the mainstay of island life on Lewis for hundreds of years. Only within the last 40 years or so have crofters taken other jobs outside the croft, and have become part-time crofters. Crofting is very much a subsistence economy, Stornoway crofters kept a small number of sheep and/or pigs and cows and had to ensure that every part of those animals was utilised to the full. When it came to killing the animal crofters shared the task and, in a time of no refrigeration, the meat with neighbours who in turn would return the favour at a later date, thus ensuring a meat supply during the long winter. To make the "Marag Dubh" - the Scots Gaelic name for a black pudding; dubh meaning 'black', the animal would be killed and the blood collected and saved. The intestines would be removed and cleaned in the salt water of the sea.

They would then be taken back to the croft, turned inside-out and placed in cold water in the sink, seawater and salt would added before leaving them covered for 24 hours. The intestines would be then rinsed in cold water and then hot. This lengthy process softened the lining of the stomach, allowing the crofters to scrape the intestines clean, leaving them beautifully white and clean. A full intestine would form the skin for at least five Marag Dubhs - the Deasainn (from the rumen), the Brog (or Boot), the Curachd an Righ (King's Crown) and two long puddings cut at the ileum and tied. As there was no electricity, the puddings were placed in chests of oatmeal, to keep them dry and cool and to help them last as long as possible. Crofters could not afford to waste any meat, so they would eat the same food every day until it was finished. The puddings provided a rich source of iron and were a very important part of a crofter's diet and still remain so for the people of Stornoway.

The basic recipe for the Stornoway Black Puddings has remained unchanged over the years - they still contain only beef suet, oatmeal, onions, blood, salt and pepper, but the methods of production have had to change, as greater hygiene regulations have come into force and as demand for the puddings has increased. The Stornoway Black Pudding is no longer produced solely by individual crofters to feed their families, but is produced on a much larger scale for sale to islanders and customers - both individual and trade - on the mainland. Animals are no longer killed on the croft, but in abattoirs. Crofters can kill on their own tenure for their own personal consumption and many still make the black pudding in the crofting kitchen. The Stornoway abattoir provides slaughtering services, but now operates only on a part-time, seasonal basis (mid August till end January), which is insufficient to meet the demand for blood and intestines. Butchers therefore rely on mainland abattoirs and suppliers of plastic pudding skins to meet their production needs. The uniqueness of the Stornoway Black Pudding The Black Pudding dates from antiquity.

The earliest mention is in Homer's Odyssey possibly written in the mid 750's BC (Book 18 lines 43-45): "Listen, you bold suitors! Here's what I tell you: some goat's stomachs lie on the fire where we put them, bloated with fat and blood where we put them." Black puddings arrived in Britain with the various wave of invaders which perhaps accounts for the variation between regions. The Stornoway black pudding is unique in that it uses only the following ingredients in order of quantity; beef suet, oatmeal, onion, blood, salt and pepper with the addition of water. They are free from artificial colours, flavours, bulking agents and preservatives Unlike other regional black puddings, beef suet is a major constituent of Stornoway black puddings. Suet is the fat around the kidney and loins of cattle. It has a low melting point 45-50 degrees centigrade which means it is easy to use in the solid form when making puddings but will melt when steaming or boiling. Although almost flavourless suet enhances the flavour of added ingredients and also lightens the texture of puddings.

In cold climates, such as the Hebrides, the high calorific value of suet makes it an ideal food in winter. The type of oatmeal grown in Scotland provides a good rough texture for the Stornoway black pudding. Most regional black pudding are made using blood from pigs. Stornoway Black Puddings however use sheep's, cow's or pig's blood, the blood being obtained from the local abattoir on the island. With legislative changes and the downgrading of the local abattoir to seasonal operation only, there is insufficient throughput of animals to provide a suitable source of fresh blood. Recipes have evolved to take account of these changes and butchers now source supplies of blood, including dried blood, from outside the area. The above ingredients, when mixed, allow the pudding to maintain its shape throughout the cooking process, and after cooking break apart when cut rather than crumble. All the dry ingredients were traditionally measured by eye, and as 'handfuls' - again a highly skilled judgement. Given the shortage of intestines, plastic skins are now used in commercial production.

Reputation of the Stornoway Black Pudding Some of the Stornoway butchers who form the Stornoway Black Pudding Producers' Association have been making and selling their puddings since 1931. The Stornoway Black Puddings have been sold by that name since that time. The butchers have co-operatively used the Stornoway Black Pudding name and have sought to maintain high standards in production and to retain the links back to Hebridean heritage. As a result the pudding has gathered an increasingly international reputation for its taste and quality and is now known as one of the top gourmet puddings in the UK . The product has made the transition of being traditionally known as staple "crofting dish" food to today being associated with being a world renowned delicacy. Veteran BBC broadcaster, Derek Cooper was, arguably, the first to bring the Stornoway Black Pudding to the attention of a mass media audience in the early 1990's via the press, and "The Food Programme". Early 1990's articles in publication such as Scotland on Sunday.

The Stornoway Black Pudding is intrinsically linked to the area's tourism, frequently purchased by visitors as a souvenir or 'taste of the islands'. There is world recognition of the brand and the link back to Stornoway as an area. Most of the guide books on Scotland mention the Marag Dubh in connection with Lewis. Several hundred entries for Google also mention the link. The Hebrides are experiencing a growth in visitor numbers and the tourist industry in the area has been boosted by the success of TV exposure via programmes such as Monty Hall's 'Great Hebridean Escape'. The pudding featured in the January 2010 edition of National Geographic and was an essential part of Visit Scotland's 2010 'Homecoming Campaign'. There is also a strong diaspora of the population from the Western Isles that regularly holiday in the islands, known as "coming home". This group of ex-pats are large consumers of the Stornoway "Marag Dubh", always visiting their Stornoway butcher to procure several black puddings before returning "to the mainland" and distribute the puddings as gifts to their network of colleagues and friends.

A further boost is expected in 2011 as part of the tourism campaign on Scotland's Islands as a destination of choice. The celebrity chef Sue Lawrence, a former winner of the TV series Masterchef is a big fan of Stornoway Black Pudding, as are other chefs Rosemary Shrager, Nick Nairn and Lady Claire Macdonald. Royalty and politicians are not immune to its charms either, with both the Queen and Prince Philip purchasing supplies, along with Jack McConnell, former First Minister of Scotland, Brian Wilson former Labour MP and Department of Trade and Industry Energy Minister, Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland and Glenys Kinnock, Member of the European Parliament till 2009. Seamus MacInnes of Cafe Gandolfi in Glasgow was one of the first restaurateurs to actively promote the modern use of Stornoway Black Pudding in his restaurant as a contemporary signature dish, and is currently publishing a recipe book "The Stornoway Black Pudding Bible" which celebrates the contribution that the Stornoway product makes to the culinary world.

The website says "Of all the blood puddings the world has to offer the Stornoway black pudding is definitely one of the finest. In fact, no sitting on the fence here; it is the finest." 4.7 Inspection body: Name: Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Consumer & Environmental Services Department - Mr Tom Joyce Address: Sandwick Road, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2BW Tel.: 01851 703773 English Food--As Bad As All That? Ha! Here it is, my secret of grossing people out: my childhood experiences of food. I never thought any of them were strange as I grew up, but when I tell people about them now I get some odd looks. Below you'll find a small sampling of delicacies I encountered as a child. I grew up in the northwest of England, in a small village called Rainhill. My father trained as an army cook in his youth, so he did most of the cooking, not Mum.

Trouble is, because of his army days he was accustomed to cooking in LARGE quantities, and he liked to produce meals of staggering proportions and height (height was important to him; Dad could stack 30 slices of toast on one plate without producing any lean). Every Saturday morning without fail, we'd be treated to "Dad's Breakfast Special". Beside the aforementioned toast, there would be bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms and fish (yes, fish! Whitefish. Boiled for ten minutes then served beneath the bacon). There were no eggs (Dad didn't want to upset the delicate balance of fish and bacon!). However, on the Saturdays when whitefish wasn't in season, Dad would treat us to a slice of black pudding. Black Pudding Black pudding, also known as blood sausage, is a pudding made of curdled and boiled pig blood, mixed with chunks of pork fat (for texture and juiciness) and spices, then stuffed into a sausage casing. When served sliced and grilled it has a peculiar grainy texture all its own. It's perfectly black (except for the chunks of fat) and is really quite delicious. I haven't eaten it since childhood, though I do remember it fondly.

I never questioned what is was when I was a child, simply accepted it as "that funny black stuff we ate instead of fish." Lamb's Hearts This was one of Mum's specialties, not Dad's. Lamb's hearts are roasted in the oven like a joint of meat. They're the size of a child's fist, have a rubbery-velvety texture, and when you slice them in cross-section with your knife you can see all the various chambers and arteries of the heart. I ate these about once a fortnight as a child, we called it "having hearts", yet I didn't realize what they were until several years later. Tripe Tripe is the stomach lining of a cow. It is white and translucent, rubbery in texture, and is served boiled with onions. It comes from the butcher in square sheets (so as to fool you into thinking that it's not actually an animal product at all, rather something you might put under your carpet for extra padding). This strange, waffle-textured organ (imagine the suction pads on a deep-sea anemone) turns water thick and gelatinous as it boils. I've never tried it myself, but Dad cooked it from time-to-time for him and Mum.

Wild Blackberry Pie Thank goodness for that, you're thinking. No more gross out stuff. Well, you just might be wrong. The village my family and I grew up in was situated in a rural area, with pig farms, wheat fields, frogging ponds, woods and berry bushes. Every year, in late Summer, my brother Paul and I would go picking blackberries. We'd come home late in the afternoon, and present Mum with a large basket of mushy fruit. "Make pie!" we'd say. And she did...but always the next day. It wasn't for many years that we learned the significance of the overnight wait. Flies love to lay their eggs in wild blackberries, and by late Summer these eggs have usually hatched and given way to maggots. You can't see the maggots from the outside, but they're in there, deep inside the fruit, chomping away. Mum knew this, and whenever we came home with blackberries, she'd dump them into a large bowl of water, and place a plate on top. She called it "drowning the maggots out".

By the morning, the surface of the water would be bobbing with little off-white maggots, forced from the berries by fear of drowning. Mum would separate the berries from the maggots and then make pie. Bet you're feeling might hungry now, eh? And they say English food is bad..... (-: Black Pudding: King of Foods? What is Blood Pudding? (with pictures) What is Blood Pudding? Originally Written By: Tricia Ellis-Christensen Revised By: C. Mitchell Last Modified Date: 15 December 2016 Copyright Protected: These 10 animal facts will amaze you Blood pudding, also sometimes known as “ black pudding ,” is a type of sausage made with animal blood. It is well known in many parts of the world in the context of a traditional Irish or Scottish breakfast, though there are many different variations. Most cultures have some version of blood sausage in their culinary heritage, though the ingredients, taste, and ultimate use can vary a lot from place to place. All that a sausage really needs to qualify is animal blood and some sort of grain, usually oats , wheat , or rice.

Casings are common, but not required; dried fruits and other spices are also frequently included. A lot depends of the culture of the cook and what sorts of ingredients are readily available. Basic Concept Despite its name, blood pudding is not really a true “pudding” at all. Most food scholars believe that it gets this name from the grains that are almost always included to absorb the blood that binds everything together, as in some sense cooks are making a thick pudding that solidifies and congeals within the sausage casing. People who are unfamiliar with the dish or not used to consuming animal blood often find this description somewhat off-putting, and the sausage can sometimes take some getting used to. Those who have grown up eating it or who live in cultures where it is commonly made often consider it a delicacy. Nearly every culture that eats meat has at least one form of blood sausage within its repertoire of traditional recipes. In large part this owes to the industriousness of most butchers. Once meat has been divided into edible portions, there is usually a lot of blood leftover. Blood contains a lot of helpful minerals, particularly iron, and can be very nutritious; on its own, though, it is not usually very appetizing.

Combining it with sausage fillings and cooking it into a meat-like mass of its own can be a very economical way of making use of it. Popularity in the UK and Ireland One very common use for blood pudding is as part of a traditional Irish or Scottish breakfast. A “traditional” breakfast usually includes the sausage along with beans, toast, mushroom, and some sort of cooked egg; grilled tomatoes and bacon or sliced ham are also usually on the plate. Irish and Scottish blood sausage almost always centers on pig’s blood, and is usually encased in pig intestine, too. It usually includes oats as the primary binding grain, and raisins or currants are common additions. Many cooks will also incorporate spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to give the sausage a sweet flavor that complements many of the more savory elements of the breakfast plate. Cooks in England make something similar, though the spices and additions are often slightly more understated. Black sausage isn’t always part of an English breakfast, but it is often on pub menus or available as a snack in many restaurants and taverns. Other European Variations Most European countries have their own version of this sausage.

Some, like the German Blutwurst or the Spanish morcilla, are decidedly savory and may be stuffed with other cured meats, onions, or potato as well as blood and grain. Others are intended to be sweet. Cooks in many of the Nordic countries add apples or sweet lingonberries to their sausage mixtures, for example, and the pudding is served alongside sweeter dishes like applesauce or fruit reductions in many places. A lot depends on local custom and the sorts of ingredients that are readily available. The blood of almost any kind of animal can be used; livestock like sheep, goat, and cow are the most common, but duck and chicken can be used, too. Similarly, oats are the most common filler ingredient, but barley , rice, or corn are also found in some places. Asian Examples Most of the blood sausages made by traditional Asian chefs do not have casings, which tends to make them slightly lumpier and more free-form than those that have been stuffed into animal intestines. Cooks in nearly every region, from the tropical climates of Southeast Asia to the frigid steppes of Northern China, have some sort of recipe for this dish.

Most incorporate rice, but some are little more than blood and spices cooked into a solid mass. “Pig’s blood cake,” a type of blood pudding made with, not surprisingly, pig’s blood and rice, is a popular street food in Taiwan, and is usually served rolled in peanuts and served on a skewer; in Vietnam, the pudding goes by the name doi huyet and typically includes cilantro, green onions, and cumin alongside aromatic shrimp paste. It is common as a snack on its own or served on top of noodles. Consumption in the Americas and Africa In the United States and Canada, blood sausages tend to be the most popular in areas that have strong connections to immigrant groups. The European settlers who colonized much of the Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada left a legacy of German-like blutwurst, for instance, and Italian-style variations are common in many parts of New York. Cajun cooks in Louisiana often make their own rendition, playing on a recipe originally brought by French settlers but adapted to local ingredients and tastes. Most of the sausages found in Central and South America are variations on the Spanish morcilla, usually incorporating local produce and livestock.

Cooks in the Caribbean are known for spicy blood sausages that are often served fried up with local vegetables; sweet potatoes and plantains may also factor into the stuffing . People in most parts of Africa also eat blood pudding, though again with twists and tweaks based on what is available. The dish is generally very economical, and can act as something of a “catch all” for stray ingredients or foodstuffs. Nutritional Information and Concerns In general, blood pudding is a good source of iron, protein, and vitamin B12. Depending on how it has been prepared, though, it may not always qualify as a health food. When it is stuffed with animal fat or other meaty tissues, as is common, it may be very high in calories. Eating blood is not usually considered dangerous or harmful so long as it has been cooked completely; underdone or partially raw pudding might contain harmful bacteria that can cause illness, though. Ad

Question: Which animal provides the blood for black pudding ?
Answer: Pig